My dear friend and colleague Kristy always starts the new school year with Starburst…she gives the kids a Starburst candy, and then the kids respond to speaking prompts that are associated with each color as a way of introducing themselves.  It’s a pretty common practice; my daughter and her friend Hannah report that they have both encountered this in college classes — Cal Poly SLO and UCSB respectively — so.  It’s not a new idea…and that is part of its beauty.  There’s familiarity coupled with the capacity for surprise.  I saw a big box of Starburst at Costco, and I threw it into the cart.

The thing is…I don’t know what the questions are.  No problem, though; I’m smart enough, aren’t I, to make up questions of my own?  But as I began, my dark and twisted self took over the task:

PINK:  Describe a law that you have recently broken, and discuss the circumstances.   RED:  In what ways have you been a disappointment to your parents?  YELLOW:  When was the last time you betrayed a friend’s trust?  ORANGE:  Discuss a time that you made your mother cry.